Japan, Philippines, US vow to deepen cooperation in face of China’s behaviour
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Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said he is “confident” that Manila, Tokyo and Washington will sustain the gains in deepening their diplomatic ties.
PHOTO: AFP
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MANILA – Japan, the Philippines and the United States vowed to further deepen cooperation under a trilateral arrangement in the face of rising tensions in Asia’s waters, the three countries said following a call among their leaders.
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr and outgoing US President Joe Biden met virtually on the morning of Jan 13, Asian time.
Mr Marcos’ communications office said the leaders “agreed to enhance and deepen economic, maritime and technology cooperation”.
The call followed a first-of-its-kind summit meeting between Mr Marcos, Mr Biden and then Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Washington in April 2024 to uphold international law and regional stability.
Mr Biden, who will step down on Jan 20, was quoted as saying in Manila’s read-out of the call that he is “optimistic” his successor, US President-elect Donald Trump, will see the value of continuing the partnership.
“Simply put, our countries have an interest in continuing this partnership and institutionalising our cooperation across our governments so that it is built to last,” Mr Biden said.
Mr Marcos said he is “confident” the three countries will sustain the gains in deepening their diplomatic ties.
The White House said in a statement that the three leaders discussed China’s “dangerous and unlawful behaviour in the South China Sea” and agreed on the importance of continued coordination in the Indo-Pacific region.
Japan’s Foreign Ministry separately said in a statement that the three leaders have opposed “unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force” in the East and South China seas, without mentioning Beijing.
Japan and the Philippines – bound by bilateral defence treaties with the US – are both involved in separate territorial disputes with China in the East China Sea and South China Sea respectively.
Mr Marcos’ office said Mr Biden also commended the Philippine leader for his diplomatic response “to China’s aggressive and coercive activities in the South China Sea”.
The Philippines in 2024 ratified a military agreement with Japan that will ease the entry of soldiers into each other’s country for joint military exercises. The three countries’ coast guards also staged joint exercises in 2023.
A 2016 ruling of an international arbitral tribunal voided Beijing’s sweeping claims for the South China Sea, saying they have no basis under international law
Tensions between China and the Philippines have escalated in the past two years over run-ins between their coast guards in the South China Sea. REUTERS
